Half to a



(No Model.)

H.H.EATHERTON.

RAILWAY TIME SIGNAL.

No, 279,084. Patented Jun 5, 1883.

lllliTlmmnmmxmlmr11m I WITNESSES.

N PETERS. Pl\0lo-l.ilhngnphlr. Washington. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT. ()FFICEQ HENRY H. EATHERTON, OF MONTIOELLO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO A. C. THOMPSOX, OF SAME PLACE.

RAILWAY TIME-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 279,084, dated June 5,1883. Application filed March 22, I853. (No model.)

hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referonce being had to the accompanying drawings,

which form a part of this which- Figure 1 is a front view of my improved time-indicator. Fig. 2 is an end view of the specification, and in same, and Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view.

,Simil'ar letters of reference indicate corrcsponding parts in all the figures.

My invention has relation to time-indicators, and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of an indicator adapted to be used upon railroads to indicate the time and direction of trains passing a certain point, or at race-courses and driving-parks for indicating the time of a vehicle passing a 2 5 certain point, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates a clock-dial, which. is preferably divided into hours, minutes, and seconds, and

0 which has a minute-hand, B, provided upon its outer side, near the end, with a bail or projection, G. A short shaft, D, is journaled in a bearing, E, at the top of an upright, F, eon centric with the clock-dial, and an indicator 3 5 hand, G, is fastened upon the inner end of the 'same, while a ratchet-wheel, H, is fastened upon the outer end of the shaft, and is engaged by a pawl, I, fastened upon the upright, the inclination of the ratchet-teeth allowing the 40 shaft; and hand to turn in the same direction 1 passed the indicator, a board or plate, U,

as the clock-hand. A pulley, J, around which a cord or chain, K, is wound, turns loosely upon the shaft D, and when turned in the directionof the clock-hand a spring -pawl, L, pivotedupon its inner face, will engage the teeth'of o a ratchet-wheel, M, and turn the same. This ratchet-wheel turns upon shaft D, but fits sufficiently tight upon the same to revolve it until it meets with an obstruction, so that when the ratchet-wheel is revolved it will revolve the shaft and the indicator-hand until the latter strikes the projection upon the clock-hand, when it will remain stz'ttionary, allowing the pulley and wheel to turn farther around. One end of cord or chain K is fastened to, a spring, N, which is secured to the left side of upright F, and its other end is secured to a spring, O, the tension of which is stronger than the tension of spring N, and the lower end of which is fastened to a cord, 1, the lower endof which is secured to a movable rail, Q, in the railroadtra'ck. This rail has two vertical perforations, It, into which project two upright rods or bolts, S, around which are wound two spiral springs, T, which rest upon the base of the track and bear with their upper ends against the under side of the rail.

It will be seen that when a train passes over the rail Q it will be depressed, drawing cord 1, spring 0, and cord K downward, and revolvin g the shaft and llldlCZttOlFlliLlld until the latter-strikes the projection upon the clockhand, when it will stop, pointing upon the exact time when the train passed, and the spring N will. draw the pulley back, tightening the cords, when, the rail rises by the action of springs T, after the weight has passed over the rail. The spring 0 serves to relieve the strain upon the cords as they are pulled down,'especially if the train remains standing upon the rail for some time, and, being stronger than spring N, it will overcome the tension of the latter when the cords are drawn down.

\Vhen the indicator is used to indicate the time of a horse or vehicle passing it, the end of 8 cord P may be fastened to a movable platform or similar contrivance, which will be depressed as the horse or vehicle passes over it in a man nersimilar to the depression of the rail.

To indicate the direction in which the train marked with the two directions of the road, is fastened upon the end of an arm, V, the lower end of which is fastened upon a crank, W, upon the inner end of a rock-shaft, \V, pivoted in the base of upright F, and having upon its other end a crank, X, whichprojects upward into a notch, Y, in the rail, and may be tilted by the flanges of the car-wheels as they pass over the same, which again tilts the arm and 1 the marked board, throwing that side of the latter which is marked with the direction of the train out to view.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of' the United States In a timeindicator of the described class, the combination of the clock having the dial A and hand 13, provided with the bail O, shait D, turning in bearing E upon upright F, concentric with the clock-dial, and having indicator-hand G upon its inner end and ratchet wheel H upon its outer end, pawl I, fastened up on upright F and engaging ratchet-wheel H, pulley J, turning upon shaft D, and having spring-pawl L, pivoted upon its inner face,

ratchet-wheel M, turning tightly upon the inner end of shaft D, and turning the same when moved by friction between its central perforation and the shaft, cord K, passing around pulley J, and having springs O at its ends, and

cords 1?, attached toithe said springs and to the rail, rail-section Q, having vertical. perforations R, upright bolts S, projecting into the perforations R, and springs T, wound around bolts S and cushioning the rai1-seetion, sub stantially as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY H. EATHERTON.

\Vitnesses:

XV. SfOrwnLL, TURNEY Rnnvns. 

